Perianth
The outer, or accessory, organs in the flower i.e., the sepals and petals, which protect the essential organs of reproduction, or the true flower, in botanical language, i.e., the stamens and pistil. In most flowers, the perianth is double, consisting of an outer circle of green sepals, and an inner circle of coloured petals (as in Abutilon, Fig. 83). In the Liliaceae, and other plants, the perianth, though double, consists of parts very much alike, and all petaloid (Lilium concolor, Fig. 84); while on others--e.g., Juncus, &c.--all the parts are sepaloid. Often one of the circles is wanting, and the missing circle is usually the petals, though (as in Anemone, Fig. 85) those present may appear petaloid. Often such single perianths are sepaloid (Mercurialis). In a good many plants (Willows, Arum), there is no trace of perianth. In many plants, the bracts are modified to simulate part of a perianth (sepaloid bracts of Dianthus, and petaloid bracts of Cornus suecica).